Drought, microalgae turn Texel Lake pink

[Netherlands] An unusual natural phenomenon is happening on the island of Texel – lake Wagejot has been pink for several days. Nature conservation service Natuurmonumenten believes the color is the result of drought on the island – the water’s high salt content is reacting to microalgae, the Telegraaf reports.

“We’ve never seen this before. From one day to another, the brackish water changed from gray-green to flamingo-pink”, forest guard Eckard Boot of Natuurmonumenten said to the newspaper.

This same phenomenon is also known to happen in the Australian Lake Hillier as well as in lakes in the Bahamas, Indonesia and Greece.

A special priority would be given to any locations that are subject to a "state of emergency" designation within the previous 12 months because of blooms. In Florida, 13 counties affected by algal blooms this summer fall under that designation.

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